asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the fact that five second division clerks in the Customs Statistical Office are temporarily employed pending the settlement of certain questions affecting the business of the office, he will give an assurance that these men will not be placed permanently on the staff of the office either during the consideration of or on settlement of these questions?

I must refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question of the 21st February on this subject, to which I have nothing to add.

asked how many new class assistant clerks in the Customs Statistical Office have been promoted to junior clerkships, minor staff officers, and port clerkships respectively; what is the numerical staff of the minor staff officer class, which is stated to be recruited exclusively from the 212 assistant clerks in the Statistical Office; how many assistant clerks have refused nominations for promotion to port clerkships, and for what reason; when was the last direct promotion from an assistant clerk to a junior clerk made; is it necessary for an assistant clerk to pass through the minor staff officer class before promotion to a junior clerkship; and is a minor staff officer eligible for promotion to a port clerkship?

No new class assistant clerks in the Statistical Office have been promoted to junior clerkships or minor staff officerships, the promotions of assistant clerks to these posts having, so far, fallen to men of the Abstractor class, who are the seniors in the general body of assistant clerks. Thirteen new class assistant clerks in the office have been promoted to port clerkships. The minor staff officer class in the office consists of nine men. Four assistant clerks have refused to be nominated for port clerkships, for reasons which are unknown to the Board. The last direct promotion of an assistant clerk to a junior clerkship was made in 1904. It is not necessary that an assistant clerk should pass through the minor staff officer class before promotion to a junior clerkship. Minor staff officers are not, as such, ineligible for promotion to port clerkships, but I would point out that their maximum salary is £20 higher than that of the lower section of port clerks—the grade to which exceptional promotions are made.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether Section 4 of the Superannuation Act, 1859, under which, in computing the amount of superannuation allowance, seven years were added to the years of service of a full-time professor in the Royal College of Science, London, and in the sister college in Dublin, when these institutions were under the control of the Department of Science and Art, still applies to the professors in the Dublin College now that it is under the Irish Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction?

Section 4 of the Superannuation Act, 1859, still applies to the professors in question. But, in accordance with a Treasury Minute of 1st July, 1910, which was laid before Parliament on 27th July, 1910, the added years attached to certain of these offices before the transfer of the Royal College to the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction, will not be granted to persons appointed after the date of the Treasury Minute.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if, when ordering paper through the Stationery Office, he will encourage the practice among paper manufacturers of closing their mills on Saturday afternoons by giving his orders for paper to the firms who observe this practice so far as they are able to supply the classes of paper required?

Paper required by the Stationery Office is purchased under open tender, and to place orders, where possible, only in the hands of those mills who shut down on Saturday afternoons would mean a very restricted competition, and a consequent large increase in cost, calculated at from £20,000 to £50,000 a year.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the fact that Mrs. Casey, Cuigella, Templemore, gave up her farm to her son ten years ago verbally, as it is customary for people of her position in life to do, he will direct the pension officer not to include it in calculating her yearly income when considering her application for an old age pension?

Pension officers in Ireland are well aware of the custom referred to in the question, and I see no reason, on the facts stated, to issue any special instructions in this case. I may remind the hon. Member that, whatever the officer's estimate of Mrs. Casey's means may be, this estimate is not binding on the authorities with whom the decision rests, namely, the Local Pension Committee, or the Local Government Board in the event of an appeal.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that, owing to the fact that their names cannot be traced in the Census Returns for the years 1841 and 1851, a number of septuagenarians residing in the South of Ireland are unable to procure evidence as to their ages, and consequently, although otherwise qualified, are deprived of the pensions which they are entitled to under the Old Age Pensions Act, 1908; and whether he will place the records subsequent to 1851, now in the custody of the Registrar-General, at the disposal of the pension officers and the public?

I am not aware that the facts are as stated in the first paragraph of the question. If the persons alleged to be septuagenarians are able to prove that they have reached the statutory age they are not deprived of pensions, even though their names are not recorded in the Census Returns of 1841 and 1851. With regard to the second paragraph, I understand that the Census Returns of 1861 and 1871 are not available, having been destroyed many years ago by order of the Government.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received an application from the Midland Re-Afforesting Association for a grant from the Development Fund towards the cost of acquiring and planting with timber-trees two plots of land in the Black Country; and whether, in view of the importance of the work of this association in planting old pit mounds and the good results that have attended its efforts, he will favourably consider the application?

An application has been received from the Midland Re-Afforesting Association and has been referred to the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries in accordance with Section 4 (1) of the Act.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether mineral rights duty is charged upon royalties received in respect of granite and whinstone, but not upon royalties received in respect of freestone; and, if so, on what grounds this distinction is made?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, freestone falls within the exemption conferred by Section 20 (5) of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, while granite and whinstone do not.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Commissioners of Inland Revenue are claiming to charge the Mineral Rights Duty on lands used in connection with the right to work minerals; whether it is proposed to charge the duty on all agricultural land leased to colliery companies or in any way used for purposes connected with the working of minerals; and, if so, will he state under which Section of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, this decision is based?

Mineral Rights Duty is chargeable on rent paid in respect of the right to work minerals, as provided by Section 20 (2) (a) of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910. The question whether in any particular instance a given rent is or is not paid in respect of a right to work minerals is one to be decided by reference to the circumstances of the case, subject to an appeal to a referee under Section 33 of the Act.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what proportions wholesale, on-retail, and off-retail licences contributed to the sum of £2,450,000 received in respect of Licence Duty for the year ending 31st March, 1910; and whether he can give any estimate of the amount still to be collected for that year in respect of houses of over £500 of annual value?

The sum of £2,450,000, which I mentioned in debate on the 20th ultimo, must not be regarded as a final figure, representing the actual yield of the "Surcharges" of Licence Duty for 1909–10, but merely as the best estimate that can at present be made of the probable receipt by the Exchequer when all adjustments have been made, and I cannot at present give the further details asked for by the hon. Member. I cannot give any estimate of the amount still to be collected for that year in respect of public-houses over £500, but the determination of annual licence values for these houses and also for hotels is being completed with all possible despatch, and it is hoped that the final liability of all licensees in respect not only of 1909–10 but also of 1910–11 will very shortly be decided.

asked the Chancellor whether he is aware that final notices for assessment, under Schedule D, were issued in Scotland on the 24th instant, threatening costs if not paid within seven days from that date; whether this action on the part of his Department has his sanction; and will he say whether similar action has been taken by his Department in London and neighbourhood?

I have no reason to suppose that final notices are not at the present time in course of issue, where necessary, by the collectors both in Scotland and England, in accordance with the usual practice as laid down in the official instructions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of his undertaking that owners of property in houses or land should not be pressed to give information not in their possession, he will explain why officials of the Land Valuation Department are still, on Form LXXI., demanding replies to questions the answers to which are matters of purely personal opinion, and to which they have failed to obtain an answer from Form IV.?

Form LXXI. is for the most part issued in cases where information which was not rendered on Form IV. would assist in the making of a fair and reasonable valuation; and a further opportunity is thereby afforded to owners of supplying particulars, which it may be in their own interest to supply.

asked, in view of the grievances of Irish national teachers in the matter of salaries and pensions as compared with the corresponding class in Great Britain, whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposes to make better provision for them in these two respects in the present Session; and whether the alleged difficulty of paying their salaries monthly has yet been overcome?

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies of my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the hon. Members for North Longford and Mid-Armagh yesterday and last Monday respectively.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, in the case of a boy attending a primary school who was able to matriculate from the primary school at the National University, he will arrange for a consensus amongst such matriculated students which would be the equivalent of a scholarship examination, and thus get over the difficulty of excluding primary schoolboys, who are mostly the children of the poor ratepayers of the country?

The arrangement of examinations for matriculated students is a matter for the governing bodies of the Universities to deal with, and not one in which I can interfere.

asked the Chief Secretary, whether he can make any statement on the subject of the proper financial support of the intermediate education system in Ireland?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a similar question asked to-day by the hon. Member for West Kerry.

asked the Chief Secretary if an application for reinstatement had been lodged with the Estates Commissioners by Timothy Murphy, who was evicted from his holding at Coolykerane, Millstreet, on the above estate; and, if application has been received, can he state what is the decision of the Commissioners with reference thereto?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that Murphy's application does not come within the provisions of the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907. He vas evicted subsequent to the passing of the Irish Land Act, 1903, and his application was not received within the period mentioned in the former Act.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state by whose instructions and for what purpose do revenue officers in Ireland now require to see copies of the purchase agreements of occupants of agricultural land; whether any increase of assessment on such land is not a breach of his repeated assurance; and whether he is aware that large increases are made both on purchasers and on payers of interest whose purchases are still uncertain?

I am not aware that any such instructions as those alluded to have been issued to Revenue officers in Ireland. If the hon. Member will furnish me with a specific instance of the assessments to which he refers I will cause inquiry to be made into the matter.

asked whether it is the custom of the Estates Commissioners to give precedence of inspection to estates purchased under the Irish Land Act, 1909, over estates which have been purchased under the Land Act of 1903, and for which agreements to purchase have been lodged with the Commissioners in some cases seven years?

The Estates Commissioners inform me that under the regulations made under Section 23 (8) of the Irish Land Act, 1903, and Section 4 of the Irish Land Act, 1909, estates agreed to be sold under the Irish Land Act, 1909, are inspected and dealt with irrespective of estates agreed to be sold under the Irish Land Act, 1903.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Congested Districts Board or the Estates Commissioners have entered into negotiations for the purchase of waste lands and grazing ranches at Corrumbla, near Ballina; and if he can state when the purchase of the said lands is likely to be completed?

The Congested Districts Board received an application on behalf of the tenants of Corimla South, near Ballina, asking the Board to purchase their holdings for the purpose of resale to them, and suggesting that about 150 acres of grass lands on the same "state should also be acquired by the Board for the enlargement of their holdings. The Board accordingly intimated to the landlord that they were willing to negotiate for the purchase of his estate. The Board will again communicate with the landlord.

asked the Chief Secretary whether, when negotiating for the purchase of the agricultural portion of Mr. Leigh White's estate at Glengarriffe, county Cork, the Estates Commissioners will also treat with Mr. Leigh White for the purchase of the village of Glengariffe?

The estate referred to is not the subject of proceedings for sale to the Estates Commissioners, but is pending as a direct sale from the owner to the tenants under the Irish Land Act, 1903, and purchase agreements have been signed by the tenants. If the tenants of the village holdings enter into agreements with the vendor for the purchase of their holdings the Commissioners will, when dealing with the estate in order of priority, consider what sums they can advance on the security of the premises.

asked the Chief Secretary whether the Estates Commissioners have received a memorial from the people of Drom, county Tipperary, requesting the Estates Commissioners to purchase for distribution amongst the small holders of the district the farms situated at Graigue and Knocka, Templemore, county Tipperary, about to be offered for sale by the executors of the late Brooklyn Roe; and whether he can state what steps the Estate Cimmsisioners propose to take in order to acquire those lands?

The Estates Commissioners have received the memorial referred to, but do not propose to take any action in the matter?

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state what stops the Estates Commissioners propose to take to remedy the congestion complained of in a memorial received by the Estates Commissioners from the occupiers of congested holdings in the townland of Ballynonty, Thurles, county Tipperary?

The Estates Commissioners have received the memorial referred to, and, after inquiry, have decided to take no action in the matter at present.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state the reasons which induced the Estates Commissioners to decline to acquire the untenanted lands on the estate of Miss Griffith, situated at Rathnavaogue, Roscrea, county Tipperary; whether this is an estate which may be acquired compulsorily by the Estates Commissioners under the Irish Land Act, 1909; and whether, under the circumstances, he will advise the Estates Commissioners to acquire it compulsorily in order to relieve the congested state of the holdings in this district?

The owner of the estate referred to has accepted the Estates Commissioners' offer under the Evicted Tenants Act, 1907 for some 16 acres which the Commissioners required to provide a holding for an evicted tenant. The Commissioners, after inquiry and consideration, decided not to continue the proceedings for the acquisition of the residue of the lands for the purposes of that Act, and they are not in a position to say whether this residue could be acquired compulsorily under the Irish Land Act, 1909.

asked the Chief Secretary what are the reasons why the Tipperary (No. 2) Rural Council have failed to complete the bond with Edmund Danaher for the erection of Patrick Darcy's cottage at Cooga, Doon electoral district, county Limerick, under the 1908 opposed order, formulated by this council; whether this council intend to erect the cottage which has been granted to the applicant by Mr. Hogan, inspector, at an inquiry and afterwards confirmed by the Limerick county court judge; and what steps, if any, the Local Government Board intend to take to question the right of abandoning this cottage, after such expense being incurred by the ratepayers?

An appeal was lodged against the order of the inspector authorising the cottage in this case, and difficulty appears to have been experienced by the rural district council in ascertaining the precise effects of the order made by the county court judge in relation to the petition. The matter is one to be dealt with by the district council, in accordance with legal advice, and they have obtained the opinion of counsel, but, so far as the Local Government Board are aware, have not yet come to a final decision.

asked the Chief Secretary whether his attention has been called to a resolution passed by the Mayo County Council on 11th February instant, stating that the failure of the Government to pay the Capitation Grant in respect of the Castlebar District Lunatic Asylum for the year ended 31st March, 1910, has caused considerable inconvenience in the county administration, as out of a sum of £6,982 8s. 10d., which the auditor certified the council were entitled to under this head, only £4,748 has been received; that since the passing of the Local Government Act, 1898, the annual expenditure in connection with the asylum has increased from £12,905 to £18,698; that this increase has imposed so heavy a burden on the ratepayers that the further liability of £2,234 per annum would be intolerable; and what steps the Government propose to take to relieve the ratepayers of the additional liability complained of?

I have seen a newspaper report of the proceedings of the meeting of the Mayo County Council, at which the resolution referred to was adopted. I understand that the increased expenditure in connection with the Castlebar District Lunatic Asylum is approximately as stated in the question. With regard to the last paragraph, I am not in a position to make any statement.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he is aware that delay has taken place in carrying out contracts for the erection of labourers' cottages in the Fermoy Rural District; if any penalties were provided for in the bonds of the several contractors, and, if so, have these been enforced in any case; did T. Neligan take a contract about two years ago for a cottage passed in favour of a labourer named Denis Manning, in the electoral district of Castle Lyne; was the foundation cut and laid out for this cottage last May, and nothing whatever done towards its construction since; and will the Local Government Board use its powers to see that contractors are compelled to perform their duties within a reasonable time, and particularly that the cottage intended for Denis Manning is built without any further delay?

Delay has occurred in the Fermoy district, as generally happens in rural districts where a large number of cottages have to be built. The Fermoy Rural District Council, under the last Order granted to them, were authorised to build 242 cottages. A fine of £1 a week is provided for in the specification, and on the 4th ultimo the council directed that fines should be enforced upon contractors who are not making satisfactory progress with cottages. The tender of Thomas Neligan for the erection of three cottages in the Castlelyons Electoral Division was accepted in April, 1909, but the Local Government Board have no information as to the progress made under the contract. Responsibility for seeing that contracts are carried out rests entirely with district councils, but the Board are constantly urging councils to insist upon contractors fulfilling the terms of their contracts, and to enforce fines in case of delay.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he will call the attention of the Congested Districts Board to the want of a fishery pier at Garnish, Castletown Bere, in view of the fact that Garnish is a most important fishing station?

The question of providing better harbour accommodation along the coast between Garnish and Ardgroom is at present receiving consideration from the Congested Districts Board.

asked the Chief Secretary whether he can state when the estate of Lord Mountcashel, situated at Ternnor, Thurles, county Tipperary, will be dealt with and the holdings vested in the tenants?

The Estates Commissioners anticipate that the estate referred to will be dealt with in order of priority during the financial year commencing on 1st April next.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, as regards appointments in the Royal Navy as boy artificer by the recommendation of educational authorities of towns and districts, whether such recommendation would be received from a secondary school at Hawick or from any other educational authority in the county of Roxburgh; if not, whether the school at Berwick-upon-Tweed has a more favourable position; and on what principle are schools classified for the purpose of such recommendations?

There is no classification of schools for the purpose of such recommendations. The recommendations are made by local educational authorities, generally those of large towns or industrial districts, which are selected as those most likely to supply suitable candidates. Any application from educational authorities of the county of Roxburgh to be placed on the list of educational authorities entitled to nominate candidates for entry as boy artificers will receive consideration; but as the number of nominees is limited by requirements and there is already a large list of educational authorities authorised to nominate, I regret that I can hold out no promise that the request will be acceded to. The reply to the second part of my hon. Friend's question is in the negative.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, when the fifth armoured ship of the 1910–11 programme will be laid down?

I have ascertained that the firm propose to lay the first keel-plate on Monday next.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it was known by the Admiralty early in 1906 that Messrs. Krupp's shipbuilding and gun-mounting works were being extended; whether the Cabinet was then informed of the fact; if not, why was the information withheld; what was the date at which the Cabinet was informed of the expansion; and whether that expansion has been going on continuously since 1906 until, at any rate, the middle of last year?

I must refer the Noble Lord to the replies given to the hon. Member for Mid-Armagh and the hon. Member for the Walton Division of Liverpool on the 22nd March, 1909, to the hon. Member for North Birmingham on the 17th June, 1909, and to the Noble Lord himself on the 9th February last.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether our Navy possesses any floating cranes capable of lifting heavy guns out of the latest type of battleships without entailing any necessity for the ships to go into dock and unload ammunition for the purpose; if so, how many are there, and where are they stationed; whether Germany possesses any such floating cranes; and, if so, how many are there, and where are they stationed?

There are no floating cranes at present available for the purpose, but tenders for the supply of one each for Portsmouth and the Medway have been received, and are under consideration. The number of cranes possessed by Germany capable of lifting out heavy guns, is eleven, and they are severally in use in the yards at Wilhelmshaven, Bremerhaven, Bremen, Hamburg, Kiel, Stettin, and Danzig. It must, however, be observed that the depth of water at some of these yards will not always allow ships to proceed down the rivers with their heavy guns on board, and therefore necessitate floating cranes.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what was the reason for keeping the battleship "London" out of dry dock for three months over the time beyond which it is considered by the Admiralty to be inadvisable for a battleship to remain out of dock; whether any other battleships now in commission have been out of dock for more than twelve months; if so, what are their names; and whether a battleship which has a foul bottom owing to being twelve months out of dock requires approximately as much coal for a speed of ten knots as she would require for twelve or thirteen knots with a clean bottom?

I regret that the information asked for takes longer to obtain than the time available to enable the question to be answered to-day, and I must ask the Noble Lord to be good enough to postpone his question for a few days.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what were the actual questions or suggestions addressed by the War Office to the Admiralty which called forth the notes supplied by the Admiralty for the use of the War Office in the Debate that was to have taken place in November, 1910, in the House of Lords; whether he will lay upon the Table of the House a copy of the correspondence between the two Departments which inspired those notes and led up to their publication; and why are the First Sea Lord's initial omitted from the official copy of the notes as presented to Parliament on 27th February, 1911?

It is not desirable to communicate information as to the informal communications that take place between Departments as to the action to be taken in discussions in Parliament. There is no correspondence to be laid upon the Table. The initials were omitted for the reason given yesterday.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he could give the approximate dates when the petitions from His Majesty's dockyards were received at the Admiralty in the years 1909 and 1910, respectively; if he can say at what date the 1909 petitions were answered; whether it is intended to hold over the petitions received in 1910 for the same period as was done in the case of the 1909 petitions; what time was allowed to elapse between the date of reply to the 1909 petitions and the date at which the Admiralty directed that the 1910 petitions should be sent in; and whether, in the event of a long delay in answering these petitions, he will consider the advisability of granting a longer period of time before the next year's petitions are required to be sent in?

The replies to the several parts of the hon. Member's question are as follows: (1) At various dates, about the middle of June, 1909, and 13th August, 1910, respectively; (2) 13th July, 1910; (3) The petitions received in 1910, are now under consideration, and will be replied to as early as possible; (4) One month; (5) The desirability of granting a longer period of time will be considered when the replies to the 1910 petitions are promulgated.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, what steps, if any, have been taken to replace H.M.S. "Bedford," or to fill the vacancy caused by the removal of H.M.S. "Newcastle" to the China station?

The loss of the "Bedford "is one of the factors that has been taken into account in arranging the programme of new construction. No vacancy has been caused by the removal of H.M.S. "Newcastle" to the China station.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many non-commissioned officers and men of the Special Reserve have enlisted from the Special Reserve into the Regular Army each year since the formation of the Special Reserve; and what was the establishment and strength of the Special Reserve in each of those years?

The figures are as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that inconvenience has been caused to the Territorial Forces in the neighbourhood by the closing of the rifle range at Barrow Hill, Pensnett, near Dudley; whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Kingswinford Rural District Council has decided that they will raise no objection to its re-opening provided it can be made perfectly safe and no firing on Sundays is permitted; and whether he will take steps to have the range rendered safe, with a view to its reopening?

The range was closed because it was reported to be unsafe by a board of officers. It is not considered that the range can be made safe, and therefore it is not intended to reopen it. A suitable site for a new range is now under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether officers of the Regular Forces appointed adjutants of Yeomanry after 12th July, 1910, have had the additional pay reduced by 2s. 6d. a day as a consequence of not being called upon to perform as many duties as those appointed before that date; and, if not, whether he will state the facts which have dictated the reduction of additional pay?

No alteration has been made in the duties of an adjutant of Yeomanry in this connection. The reduction has been made to bring these appointments into line with those of adjutants of other Territorial Force units.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether officers appointed adjutants of Artillery, Engineers, and Infantry in the Territorial Force on and after 12th July, 1910, perform additional duties for their additional pay; and, if not, whether he can see his way to grant the same amount of additional pay to adjutants appointed before this date?

I must ask the hon. Member to refer to my replies to questions put on this subject by the hon. and gallant Member for the Bodmin Division of Cornwall on the 28th February to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Secretary for War the average number of horseshoes used per week in the Army during the South African war; the number of machine-made horse-shoes supplied respectively by this country and by America during the same period: and the numbers of hand-made horse-shoes supplied by this country to supplement the above?

There are no records of the weekly consumption of horse and mule shoes during the South African War, but the shipments to South Africa amounted to 3,772,352 pairs, besides large though unrecorded numbers taken by the units as part of their equipment. The number obtained from firms in the United Kingdom was 2,443,873 pairs, and from the United States 2,059,834 pairs. Either machine-made or hand-made shoes were accepted, and there is no record as to the proportion of each.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can state the total personnel of the Militia, Yeomanry, and Volunteer Forces on 1st February, 1907; and the total personnel of the Territorial Army and Special Reserves on 1st February in the years 1908, 1909, 1910, and 1911 respectively?

Figures for the 1st February are not available for Yeomanry, Volunteers, or Territorial Force. Figures for the 1st January have, therefore, been given for purposes of comparison:—

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether a letter, dated 24th February, 1911, has been received at the War Office from J. Burke, retired pensioner warrant officer, in reply to a War Office letter, dated 23rd February; and whether, from the facts stated in that letter concerning himself and also a Sergeant-Major Cowley, and considering the full benefit the War Office has received of an invention discovered by J. Burke, dealing with Army forms and the saving of time to Army officers and clerks resulting therefrom, and the hope of an increased pension held out to him in the War Office letter, dated 9th May, 1899, and in view of the fact that he was most strongly recommended by the late General Sir Gerald Morton and by Lord Grenfell for the award of the Meritorious Service Medal which he never received, he will reconsider the decision of the War Office in this matter, and adequately compensate him by increasing his present pension, which is applicable to a service of only twenty-live years, to the amount due to him for his adult Army service of twenty-nine years seven months and total service of forty-five years?

Mr. Burke's letter has been received and will be duly considered. His claims to the Meritorious Service Medal have been noted for consideration with those of others.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India what decision the Government of India have arrived at as to imposing an excise duty on cigars and cigarettes manufactured in India corresponding to the duties imposed on those articles when imported into India?

The Government of India have come to the conclusion that, having regard to the conditions under which tobacco is cultivated in India, the levy of an Excise Duty is not practicable. They have, however, decided to reduce the import duties.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the statement contained in the Report of 1909 of the medical officer of health for Belfast as to the difficulty of obtaining returns as to outworkers in the linen trade from their employers in Belfast; that some employers seek to evade their responsibilities under the Factory and Workshop Act of 1901 by ceasing to employ outworkers for a short period at 1st February and 1st August, when the lists are due, and that some attempts to send in false or insufficient lists were detected, one firm sending in a list giving only about 25 per cent. of the workers known by the inspector to be employed, and another firm giving incorrect names and addresses in the case of 80 per cent. of the workers employed by it; and, if so, what action he proposes to take in the matter?

I am considering, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, the best steps to take to obtain further information as to the conditions prevailing in the Belfast trade referred to in this question.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that 140 boys under 16, one of them being under 12, and three girls under 16 were committed to prison on conviction in England and Wales during the twelve months ended 31st March, 1910; and if he will state the circumstances of these committals?

These figures are given in the report of the Prison Commissioners. The great majority of the cases were committed to prison before the date when Section 112 of the Children Act, 1908, took effect, viz., 1st January, 1910. That Act prohibits the committal of children to prison, and allows that of young persons under sixteen only in very exceptional circumstances; and I understand that very few "young persons" have been sent to prison since that date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the proportion of members who voted in the ballots recently held by the different trades unions on the Osborne judgment; and whether the voting was open or secret?

As I stated in reply to the question on this subject on Tuesday last, very few ballots have been taken by the trade unions since the Osborne judgment. I have no information as to the proportion of members voting and could only obtain it by applying to the unions concerned, who would, of course, be under no obligation to supply it. The mode of voting varies, I understand, in the different unions; in some cases it is open, in others secret.

asked the President of the Local Government Board how many cases of smallpox there are at present reported in London; and whether he has requested medical officers of health to use every legitimate means to induce all those who have been brought in contact with these cases to be vaccinated?

Up to last night the number of cases of smallpox which have been reported was forty-four. A medical inspector of the Board has conferred with the medical officers of health and with the officers of the guardians in regard to the steps to be taken for dealing with the outbreak.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if he can state how many sanitary authorities in the country are proposing the expenditure of ratepayers' money to provide additional hospital accommodation for smallpox on the alleged ground of the danger to the community consequent on the slackening of compulsory vaccination?

I have no information that any sanitary authorities are proposing to provide additional hospital accommodation on the grounds mentioned.

asked the President of the Local Government Board, with reference to the outbreak of small-pox in London, whether he will state how many cases have been notified; how many cases have been removed to the Joyce Green Hospital; how many of the cases were employed at the Mile End Infirmary and in what capacity; and what is the age and vaccinal condition of each patient?

Since the beginning of the present outbreak forty-seven persons have been admitted at South Wharf; three of these have been found not to be suffering from small-pox; forty-three cases, notified as small-pox, have been sent to Joyce Green—one case remains at the Wharf. Seven of the cases notified were persons employed at the Mile End Infirmary (five as nurses and two as scrubbers). I cannot give the age and vaccinal condition of each patient, as these particulars have not yet been verified; but it is stated that of the forty-four patients six are five years of age or under, and of these three have not been vaccinated, three were vaccinated in infancy, two have been revaccinated since the onset of the disease. Seven are between five and fifteen years of age, of whom one has not been vaccinated, five were vaccinated in infancy, one case is doubtful; four cases have been vaccinated since the onset of the disease. Fifteen are between fifteen and thirty, of whom two have not been vaccinated, twelve were vaccinated in infancy, one is doubtful; eight of these have been revaccinated since the onset of the disease. Sixteen are cases of persons over thirty, of whom fourteen were vaccinated in infancy; two cases are doubtful; ten cases have been vaccinated since the onset of the disease. There has been one death—a case of an unvaccinated child of three years.

asked the President of the Local Government Board what was the total amount expended by local authorities on festivities in connection with the last Coronation; was any of such expenditure surcharged by the district auditors; if so, how much; and to what extent did the President of the Local Government Board remit such surcharges, if any?

I am not able to state what was the total amount expended by local authorities on Coronation festivities in the year 1902. In six cases persons surcharged by district auditors on account of such expenditure appealed to the Local Government Board. The total amount to which these appeals related was £110. Remission of the surcharges was granted, except to the extent of £10.

asked the President of the Local Government Board what was the proportion during last year, relatively to the children born, of those children who were exempted from vaccination under exemption certificates?

I am not at present able to supply figures for the whole year. During the first half of the year, however, 456,533 births were registered and 110,851 exemption certificates were received.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the case of a child named Ada May Fisher, of Waver-tree, Liverpool, who died on 2nd December, 1910, from broncho-pneumonia supervening on generalised vaccinia after having been vaccinated with lymph supplied by the Local Government Board; whether such lymph was similar to that which is usually issued by the Department; whether he is aware that at the inquest which was held upon the body of the deceased the medical witness said generalised vaccinia was extremely rare; and whether, seeing that in this House, on 25th November, 1909, and 29th July, 1910, in replies to questions relating to two other deaths from generalised vaccinia he also described the disease as extremely rare, he will now state what steps he proposes to take?

My attention has been drawn to this case, and one of my medical inspectors investigated the circumstances in January last. The lymph which was supplied belonged to a series of which 1,629 tubes were despatched, and no complaints have been received in regard to other cases for which the tubes were used. It may also be pointed out that the same public vaccinator vaccinated five other infants with the same lymph without any abnormal effects. I am aware that it was stated at the inquest that generalised vaccinia was extremely rare. The correctness of this view is supported by the fact that, although during the two years 1909 and 1910, over a million vaccinations were performed, only two cases are known to have occurred. I do not think it necessary to take any further steps in the matter.

asked the President of the Local Government Board, whether, in view of the evils arising out of the adulteration of food, he proposes to take any action for the establishment of a court of reference as recommended by the Select Committee on Food Products Adulteration in 1896, and similarly urged by the Departmental Committee appointed in 1899 by the President of the Local Government Board?

This is one of the subjects which I have under consideration in connection with proposals for the amendment of the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, but I cannot at present state what action may be taken in regard to the particular proposal mentioned.

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he intends issuing an order founded on the draft of an order embodied in the Report of the Departmental Committee on Out-relief; and, if so, seeing that this draft order contains conditions of an important nature affecting boards of guardians throughout the country, he will delay the issue of such order until boards of guardians throughout the country have had time and full opportunity of considering it and making representations on points in which, in their opinion, amendment might be desirable?

As I have intimated in reply to previous questions, I do not propose to take any action upon the Report of the Departmental Committee until boards of guardians throughout the country have had time to consider the Order suggested by the Committee, and to make representations to me on the subject. I can assure the hon. Member that any such representations will receive my careful consideration.

asked the President of the Local Government Board if, in addi- tion to obtaining the opinions of the Poor Law Unions' Association and other bodies on the merits of the proposed new Poor Law Order, he will, before issuing the order, obtain the opinion of this House as to whether the order should or should not be issued?

As the hon. Member will have gathered from my previous replies to questions on this subject, it will not be practicable for me to take any action with regard to the proposed order for some time. Opportunities for a discussion on the subject will, no doubt, arise, but I am not in a position to make any promise such as the hon. Member desires.

asked the Lord Advocate whether the proposed new Poor Law Order will be extended to Scotland; and, if so, will he say at what date it will come into operation?

The answer is in the negative. The proposed Order does not extend beyond England and Wales.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether his attention has been called to those portions of the Report for 1909 of the medical officer of health for Belfast, in which he states that there are over 8,000 home-workers employed in connection with the linen and cognate trades; that in 174 houses occupied by these workers it was found necessary to issue cleansing orders, and that in fifty-six houses legal notices were served to cleanse on account of the filthiness of the houses; that this home-work necessitated prolonged and arduous labour, even far into the night, in order to procure the bare necessities of life; and that, under such circumstances, the home rapidly became a most unsuitable place for use as a work-room; that some of these workers had to sew 384 dots for 1d., that it was not possible to estimate the amount of consumption due to the sweating; that thirty-two cases of infectious diseases were reported in these outworkers' homes during the year, including six of erysipelas, two of diphtheria, seventeen of scarlet fever, one of puerperal fever, four of typhoid fever, and two of consumption; and whether, in view of these statements and of the information in the possession of the Board of Trade on this subject, it is his intention to take any and, if so, what steps to deal with this evil in Belfast? (2) whether, in view of the fact that the evils of the sweating system in Belfast are admitted; that there is an almost unanimous local demand for an official inquiry into the matter; and that, notwithstanding this, he feels that he has no authority to order such an inquiry, he will send a special representative of the Board of Trade to make inquiries in Belfast and publish the results of his investigations into this matter; (3) whether his attention has been called to the statement in the Report for 1909 of the medical officer of health for Belfast, that from the very low rates of pay must be deducted the time spent in visiting the warehouse for work, the necessary upkeep of the workers' sewing machine, and the price of the thread used in sewing, which is almost invariably provided by the worker; that, after these deductions are made, the amount left to the workers is so extremely small as to make one wonder if they are benefited by the work at all; that much the same scale of pay is found among the workers at various processes of the linen trade, those workers constituting the larger proportion of outworkers in Belfast; that 1d. per hour is the ordinary rate, and in many instances it falls below this; that it cannot be too frequently or strenuously insisted that such underpaid labour must inevitably cripple, and in great part nullify, the good effects of any schemes of health reform; and that the under-fed, over-wrought physique of the sweated worker, with its weakened stamina and lack of resistance to the inroads of disease, is undoubtedly one of the main causes of a high death rate; and what, if any, action he proposes to take in regard to this state of affairs?

I am considering, in consultation with my right hon Friend the Home Secretary, the best steps to take to obtain further information as to the conditions prevailing in the Belfast trades referred to in these questions.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will reconsider the case of Miss Green, of Magheragall, Lisburn, county Antrim, who was injured by a fall from her bicycle caused by the carelessness or neglect of some Post Office telegraph workman on the 20th August last, and to whom the Post Office authorities paid the sum of £15 by way of compensation; whether he is aware that Miss Green was at the time of the accident earning from 15s. to 47s. per week; that as a result of her accident she was totally incapacitated from work for five months, and is now only able to do a part of her former work; that she has had to expend £7 in doctors' and solicitors' fees in connection with the accident; and whether, under the circumstances, he will increase the amount of compensation?

There is considerable doubt as to the circumstances in which Miss Green met with the accident in question; but as her legal adviser on 31st January last accepted on her behalf £15 in full discharge of all claims, I know of no reason why I should reopen the matter.

asked the Postmaster-General why telegrams from the commercial salesrooms in London to Liverpool take so long in transmission, and particularly why between 11 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. they take from half to three-quarters of an hour; whether the attention of the postal authorities has been on several occasions called by business firms in Liverpool to this serious delay; what explanation can he offer for this hindrance to business; and whether he has taken any, and what, steps to remedy it?

A direct wire between the Commercial Sales Booms in London and the Liverpool Head Post Office has been specially provided in order to escape the necessity of transmission through the Central Telegraph Office. When messages are handed in in large batches their treatment must take some time, though the delay mentioned by the hon. and learned Member is rare, and occurs only during the busiest hour. I am enquiring whether any improvement can be made.

asked whether the Merchandise Marks Act of 1887 is put into operation in regard to flour adulterated with phosphates made from the bones of animals or from lime and sulphuric acid, and to flour which has been increased in weight by spraying liquids over it; and whether any representations on these forms of adulteration have been received from Scotland?

Yes, we have received representations on this subject from Scotland. The Board are in communication with the Local Government Board respecting it.

asked the Lord Advocate whether the continued success and expansion of the work of the Public Trustee in England will lead to the introduction at an early date of legislation instituting a similar office for Scotland?

The Government do not propose to introduce legislation in the sense suggested, the circumstances and the law of Scotland being different in this particular from those which in England led to the appointment of the Public Trustee.

asked the Lord Advocate whether the continued success and expansion of the work of the Public Trustee in England will lead to the introduction at an early date of legislation instituting a similar office for Scotland?

The Government do not propose to introduce legislation in the sense suggested, the circumstances and the law of Scotland being different in this particular from those which in England led to the appointment of the Public Trustee

asked the Lord Advocate, how many School Boards in Scotland have made retiring allowances to janitors or caretakers, the number of janitors or caretakers to whom retiring allowances are being paid in each town by the School Board?

The Department have not the complete information desired at their disposal, their records on this point dating back only to the passing of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1908, which provided for the consent of the Department being obtained to the award of such retiring allowances. Since this Act came into force nine School Boards have obtained consent to grant to eighteen janitors or caretakers retiring allowances amounting in the aggregate to £525 per annum.

asked the Lord Advocate whether he is aware of the fact that twelve parents from Bruernish, Barra, were summoned, on 26th October, 1910, to Castlebay for failing to send their children to school; whether he is aware that the reason for their failure was due to the footpath leading to the Northbay school being in such a condition that it was dangerous for the children to use it; whether he is aware that about ten years ago the parish council repaired this footpath at a cost of about £18, but a technical objection having been raised against the cost being paid out of the special parish rates the said sum was surcharged against the clerk of the parish council, and was paid by him; and what, under these circumstances, he proposes should be done to meet the difficulty?

I am informed that the attention of the Congested Districts Board has been called by the parish council to the condition of the path in question, which was stated to be the reason for the failure of the children to attend school, and a grant was promised last week. I am not aware of any surcharge of the cost of previous repairs.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will cause application to be made to the Russian Government to institute a searching inquiry into the circumstances attending the murder of Mr. M'Garvey, at Grozrugi, Caucasus; whether any, and what steps have been taken to arrest the murderers; and whether their identity is known to the authorities?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the question on this subject by the hon. Member for North Down.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for how many years the Helouan (Egypt) Development Company had been in existence when the mixed court of first instance declared that the said company was null and void because it had not complied with the requirements of Egyptian law as laid down in the mixed commercial code; whether he will state what the requirements were which it is alleged were not complied with; and whether any diplomatic action was taken, or is taking place, on the subject?

The company in question was registered in England as a joint stock company on 1st December, 1906. I have not received a copy of the judgment of the mixed court in Egypt, which was delivered in May, 1908, and cannot say what the precise legal requirements were which were not complied with. His Majesty's Government do not consider that there is any need for such action at present.